Chris Patten

Lord Chris Patten "was born in 1944 and educated at St Benedict’s School, Ealing and Balliol College, Oxford. Before becoming director of the Conservative Party’s Research Department (1974-79) he was political secretary to Lord Whitelaw and Lord Carrington and civil servant in the Cabinet Office. He was a member of parliament from 1979 to 1992 and a minister from 1983 to 1992. Lord Patten was Parliamentary Secretary at the Northern Ireland Office, Minister of State at the Department of Education, Minister for Overseas Development, Secretary of State for the Environment, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Chairman of the Conservative Party.

"From 1992-1997 Lord Patten was Governor of Hong Kong and from 1998-99 he was chairman of the Independent Commission on Policing in Northern Ireland. He was EU External Relations Commissioner from 1999-2004.

"Lord Patten became Privy Councillor in 1989, a Companion of Honour in 1998, and was recently made a life peer. He took his seat in the House of Lords in January 2005.

"He has written “The Tory Case”, the best-selling “East and West” and “Not Quite the Diplomat” (published as “Cousins and Strangers” in North America).

"Lord Patten is Chancellor of Newcastle University and Oxford University. He has several honorary degrees and is an honorary fellow of Balliol College, Oxford, and St Anthony’s College, Oxford.

"He is co-chair of the International Crisis Group, the worldwide conflict prevention organisation, Co-Chairman of the India-UK Round Table and chair of the trustees of two other charities."


 * Founding Council Member, European Council on Foreign Relations
 * Editorial Advisory Board, Chinadialogue.net
 * Member, Global Leadership Foundation

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